I would describe the Spirit as a detailed modern microphone. It does not introduce coloration to recordings as many vintage options do, but it does capture crisp clear accurate sound that is often the preferred choice for modern music genres. The Spirit can also be a good option for voiceover as it provides excellent speech intelligibility - note that voices with more sibilance will likely require a de-esser.
Great underrated review! I had this mic for a couple of weeks and it is great for home studios. It rejects background noise better then my TLM 102. I have notice that the mic sound even better on your 710 with some tube mixed into it to tame some of the high end frequencies. I have a lot of sibilants in my vocals as well but I still was able to do a good job in post. I may look into getting a 710. Thanks
Much appreciated! I agree, the Spirit is an excellent choice where clarity and definition are required, but room acoustics are less than optimal, it just seems to get the balance right. I'm glad the pairing of the 710 and Spirit translated on UA-cam. Even with a variety of preamps around including several with impedance control, I often find myself going to the 710 to dial in a mic. I have never regretted picking one up. Thanks again for sharing your experience and I'm glad you enjoyed my review.
I have the Aston Spirit and love it. The tests you feature are great and make me appreciate the mic even more. Could you do a review on a pair of KRK KNS 6400 headphones? I'm curious what a Sine Sweep would show. They are flat and very accurate and would love for you to put them to the test. Great channel. Thanks.
Thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed my look at the Spirit. It is an excellent microphone that performs well above its price imo. I have been planning to review a set of KRK headphones. The 6400 are a bit more difficult to come by now that KRK has moved to their 6402 model. If I am unable to get a hold of 6400s, the 6402 will coming up.
@@askdrtk Awesome. Thank you. They are in stock on Amazon Canada so they're an easy return if you prefer that option. I watched a review that there was a frequency change on the 6402's that isn't favorable in comparison to the 6400's.
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review. Between the two, I would recommend the Spirit. It provides a clean articulate sound (that is not brittle in any way) along with some added low end smoothness. This combination is very difficult to find in a large diaphragm condenser microphone without spending considerably more. The 47jr is also an excellent microphone, but I would say it is a bit too bright for R&B. As another option (slightly more expensive vs the Spirit) is the Roswell Mini K87. It is an excellent choice for an alto with a raspy sound. Its has what I would consider to be an ideal mix of clarity (which is important as too many harmonics and "rasp" do not always go well together) combined with full tone to deliver polished R&B vocals. Dynamic mics such as the SM7B are also very popular for R&B, but raspy vocals can sometimes lose some of their character. All said, the best performance to price combination here is the Spirit imo and it will deliver outstanding recordings that could be (and are) heard on records every day. I hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I truly appreciate it. I will definitely check out the Roswell Mini 87. There are so many options, it can become overwhelming but it’s fun at the same time. Super excited to start my channel. Thank you for the recommendations. Very helpful. ☺️☺️
I really like the C214. In my area it is about $200 more than the Spirit, so the value proposition changes a bit. Both produce excellent recordings with the C214 offering a bit more character. I would tend to favour the Spirit for “modern” music genres and the C214 for classic rock, alternative, and jazz, but no hard and fast rule. Both live well together in the mic locker…
I don’t know about that… for vocals at least, you’re typically going to use the cardiod pattern. Set to that, the Spirit and the Origin are pretty much the same. Run both through a preliminary preamp like the Warm Audio TB12 and FMR compressor, and your going to get very similar results. It’s when you go for the different pickup patterns that the Spirit wins out
I agree on the preamp / compression, I use either my WA73EQ or UA710 with the WA2A (sometimes 1176) for recording vocals with the Spirit. I will say that there is a difference in character when using the cardioid pattern on the Spirit. It is likely due to the Spirit having an internal transformer whereas the Origin does not. To my ears, the Origin sounds a bit smoother vs the Spirit while the Spirit offers more detail in the higher frequencies on some sources (not a world of difference, but it is there). I would say the versatility of the Spirit is the step up. I especially like the figure-of-eight pattern for a number of acoustic sources (guitar, violin, flute, clarinet). In the end, can't go wrong with either, both perform above their price imo.
@@askdrtk that makes sense! I only use my Origin for vocals, so I just don’t need that extra functionality, so it was the perfect choice/price point for me 👍🏻
Late to the party, would you say the origin is the better option for strictly vocals? Right now I use the Audio-Technica 2035, would the origin be a step up from that particular microphone in your opinion?
I am searching for a mic on my desk, to plug it in wirelessly to the Focusrite 2i2 and have very small delay. So, if there is a smart receiver of signal of mic plugged into the Focusrite. One mic that I could have in a distance out of cameras FoV, distance 30-50 cm away from me, and capture my voice well. This is only for work use, holding online meetings on Teams while from home PS. I’m not looking for a budget solution, but the optimal for my home setup
For an upgraded home setup I recommend the Sennheiser e614 pencil condenser. It has a good response profile for spoken word and a supercardioid polar pattern which will help will room noise. Pair it with an Xvive U3 wireless kit and you are all set. I did a full review on the Xvive and I have used an e614 for a number of applications (I will have a review on the e614 up soon). The whole kit will run $400 USD, but if you are looking for optimal, this is more than sufficient for Teams, Zoom, etc. You could go ultra premium on the mic with a KN184 ($800USD for the mic only) but you will not hear the difference for online meetings. Hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk I have on hands now both the E614 (with a mic desktop stand) and the XVive U3c. I plugged the Receiver in the Scarlett Solo XLR input (tried with both 48 V Phantom and without, not sure if I need it, I expect not) and I was able to get signal. I accessed Abelton Live 11 and started recording my voice as to check up. It is my first mic though and it surprised me negatively that it did not work straight forward and that when I cough or blow air, the sound reaches pick (is loud), but as long as I speak, I can barely hear myself. Sound is low. Is there something wrong ? Something on settings I have to work on ? I tried with increasing - decreasing the Gain on the XLR input, but it doesn't help. Same with the Air function, enabled it and disabled it without listening a difference. My sound engineering skills are zero, so I am wondering if there has something to do with bandwidth (Hz) - Buffer rate. Hope you will help me on that 🙂
In the preferences->audio section in Ableton, what are the driver type, audio device, sample rate, buffer size, and default SR & Pitch Conversion set at? It is normal with the Scarlett Solo to have the gain set at 4:00 (almost full) when using the U3c. With the gain set at 4:00, does the halo ring around the gain control flicker green, orange, or red when you speak? From a setup perspective, ensure the microphone is pointed directly towards your mouth (as it is supercardiod and rejects off-axis sound). Let me know the Ableton settings and about the level (halo ring) on the Scarlett as well as how far the microphone is placed away from your mouth and I will attempt to assist further.
@@askdrtk Preferences -> Audio Driver Type: CoreAudio, Audio Input/Output Device : Scarlett Solo USB (2 In, 2 Out) In/Out Sample Rate: 44100, Default SR & Pitch Conversion: High Quality Buffer Size: 128 Samples, latency is okay, test tone is off. Today, right now, while testing - recording, Ext. 1, Channel 1, Auto, Master, when I cough or blow it sounds extremely loud, but when I talk, the bar shows at around 30% of total bar. The graph of spikes while recording is very low when talking, and goes above full when coughing - blowing. XLR Gain is set to maximum. Should I have the 48 V on ? Will it charge this way the XVive receiver ? The Air option is set off. 🙂
Sorry for the delayed response, I wanted to try to duplicate what is happening for you. I set my e614 up about 20cm away pointed directly at my mouth connected into my Xvive system and a Scarlett 8i6 with the gain set so as to match your Solo. I have plenty of signal (between -16 and -10 dB in OBS and using a few DAWs. Do you have an XLR cable to try the microphone connected directly to the Solo? For me, with the 8i6 set at noon I get about the same level as with the wireless. The microphone will be sensitive to plosives from blowing or coughs. A small pop filter will help with this. Phantom power from your Solo to the Xvive is will not change the receiver. For Microsoft Teams, I use the high fidelity audio mode, manually set the microphone level (turn off auto gain), and have noise cancellation set at low.
Dude... You recommend HEADPHONES?? Not even 25 seconds in and you completely discredit yourself as any level of audio professional. lol Headphones. You NEVER use headphones to examine audio in a studio environment!
I would describe the Spirit as a detailed modern microphone. It does not introduce coloration to recordings as many vintage options do, but it does capture crisp clear accurate sound that is often the preferred choice for modern music genres. The Spirit can also be a good option for voiceover as it provides excellent speech intelligibility - note that voices with more sibilance will likely require a de-esser.
Great underrated review! I had this mic for a couple of weeks and it is great for home studios. It rejects background noise better then my TLM 102. I have notice that the mic sound even better on your 710 with some tube mixed into it to tame some of the high end frequencies. I have a lot of sibilants in my vocals as well but I still was able to do a good job in post. I may look into getting a 710. Thanks
Much appreciated! I agree, the Spirit is an excellent choice where clarity and definition are required, but room acoustics are less than optimal, it just seems to get the balance right. I'm glad the pairing of the 710 and Spirit translated on UA-cam. Even with a variety of preamps around including several with impedance control, I often find myself going to the 710 to dial in a mic. I have never regretted picking one up. Thanks again for sharing your experience and I'm glad you enjoyed my review.
I have the Aston Spirit and love it. The tests you feature are great and make me appreciate the mic even more. Could you do a review on a pair of KRK KNS 6400 headphones? I'm curious what a Sine Sweep would show. They are flat and very accurate and would love for you to put them to the test. Great channel. Thanks.
Thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed my look at the Spirit. It is an excellent microphone that performs well above its price imo. I have been planning to review a set of KRK headphones. The 6400 are a bit more difficult to come by now that KRK has moved to their 6402 model. If I am unable to get a hold of 6400s, the 6402 will coming up.
@@askdrtk Awesome. Thank you. They are in stock on Amazon Canada so they're an easy return if you prefer that option. I watched a review that there was a frequency change on the 6402's that isn't favorable in comparison to the 6400's.
Interesting. I will look into the 6400’s.
Hi! Which one would you recommend for an R&B singer? Aston Spirit or Warm47jr? I am an alto and have a raspy voice. Awesome review by the way. 😊
Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my review. Between the two, I would recommend the Spirit. It provides a clean articulate sound (that is not brittle in any way) along with some added low end smoothness. This combination is very difficult to find in a large diaphragm condenser microphone without spending considerably more. The 47jr is also an excellent microphone, but I would say it is a bit too bright for R&B. As another option (slightly more expensive vs the Spirit) is the Roswell Mini K87. It is an excellent choice for an alto with a raspy sound. Its has what I would consider to be an ideal mix of clarity (which is important as too many harmonics and "rasp" do not always go well together) combined with full tone to deliver polished R&B vocals. Dynamic mics such as the SM7B are also very popular for R&B, but raspy vocals can sometimes lose some of their character. All said, the best performance to price combination here is the Spirit imo and it will deliver outstanding recordings that could be (and are) heard on records every day. I hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I truly appreciate it. I will definitely check out the Roswell Mini 87. There are so many options, it can become overwhelming but it’s fun at the same time. Super excited to start my channel. Thank you for the recommendations. Very helpful. ☺️☺️
Mmm, On this price range I think AKG C214 have not alternative. It is absolutely super awesome!
I really like the C214. In my area it is about $200 more than the Spirit, so the value proposition changes a bit. Both produce excellent recordings with the C214 offering a bit more character. I would tend to favour the Spirit for “modern” music genres and the C214 for classic rock, alternative, and jazz, but no hard and fast rule. Both live well together in the mic locker…
Is Scarlett solo preamp decent enough for this mic?
Yes, the solo will provide plenty of gain for this mic. You should be able to record with the gain around 1:00.
Does anyone know the release of this model?
The Spirit was released in 2016.
@@askdrtk ok
Wow the spirit is way better than the origin
Definitely a big step up!
I don’t know about that… for vocals at least, you’re typically going to use the cardiod pattern. Set to that, the Spirit and the Origin are pretty much the same. Run both through a preliminary preamp like the Warm Audio TB12 and FMR compressor, and your going to get very similar results.
It’s when you go for the different pickup patterns that the Spirit wins out
I agree on the preamp / compression, I use either my WA73EQ or UA710 with the WA2A (sometimes 1176) for recording vocals with the Spirit. I will say that there is a difference in character when using the cardioid pattern on the Spirit. It is likely due to the Spirit having an internal transformer whereas the Origin does not. To my ears, the Origin sounds a bit smoother vs the Spirit while the Spirit offers more detail in the higher frequencies on some sources (not a world of difference, but it is there). I would say the versatility of the Spirit is the step up. I especially like the figure-of-eight pattern for a number of acoustic sources (guitar, violin, flute, clarinet). In the end, can't go wrong with either, both perform above their price imo.
@@askdrtk that makes sense!
I only use my Origin for vocals, so I just don’t need that extra functionality, so it was the perfect choice/price point for me 👍🏻
Late to the party, would you say the origin is the better option for strictly vocals? Right now I use the Audio-Technica 2035, would the origin be a step up from that particular microphone in your opinion?
I am searching for a mic on my desk, to plug it in wirelessly to the Focusrite 2i2 and have very small delay. So, if there is a smart receiver of signal of mic plugged into the Focusrite. One mic that I could have in a distance out of cameras FoV, distance 30-50 cm away from me, and capture my voice well. This is only for work use, holding online meetings on Teams while from home
PS. I’m not looking for a budget solution, but the optimal for my home setup
For an upgraded home setup I recommend the Sennheiser e614 pencil condenser. It has a good response profile for spoken word and a supercardioid polar pattern which will help will room noise. Pair it with an Xvive U3 wireless kit and you are all set. I did a full review on the Xvive and I have used an e614 for a number of applications (I will have a review on the e614 up soon). The whole kit will run $400 USD, but if you are looking for optimal, this is more than sufficient for Teams, Zoom, etc. You could go ultra premium on the mic with a KN184 ($800USD for the mic only) but you will not hear the difference for online meetings. Hope this helps out.
@@askdrtk I have on hands now both the E614 (with a mic desktop stand) and the XVive U3c. I plugged the Receiver in the Scarlett Solo XLR input (tried with both 48 V Phantom and without, not sure if I need it, I expect not) and I was able to get signal. I accessed Abelton Live 11 and started recording my voice as to check up. It is my first mic though and it surprised me negatively that it did not work straight forward and that when I cough or blow air, the sound reaches pick (is loud), but as long as I speak, I can barely hear myself. Sound is low. Is there something wrong ? Something on settings I have to work on ? I tried with increasing - decreasing the Gain on the XLR input, but it doesn't help. Same with the Air function, enabled it and disabled it without listening a difference. My sound engineering skills are zero, so I am wondering if there has something to do with bandwidth (Hz) - Buffer rate. Hope you will help me on that 🙂
In the preferences->audio section in Ableton, what are the driver type, audio device, sample rate, buffer size, and default SR & Pitch Conversion set at? It is normal with the Scarlett Solo to have the gain set at 4:00 (almost full) when using the U3c. With the gain set at 4:00, does the halo ring around the gain control flicker green, orange, or red when you speak? From a setup perspective, ensure the microphone is pointed directly towards your mouth (as it is supercardiod and rejects off-axis sound). Let me know the Ableton settings and about the level (halo ring) on the Scarlett as well as how far the microphone is placed away from your mouth and I will attempt to assist further.
@@askdrtk Preferences -> Audio
Driver Type: CoreAudio, Audio Input/Output Device : Scarlett Solo USB (2 In, 2 Out)
In/Out Sample Rate: 44100, Default SR & Pitch Conversion: High Quality
Buffer Size: 128 Samples, latency is okay, test tone is off.
Today, right now, while testing - recording,
Ext. 1, Channel 1, Auto, Master, when I cough or blow it sounds extremely loud, but when I talk, the bar shows at around 30% of total bar.
The graph of spikes while recording is very low when talking, and goes above full when coughing - blowing.
XLR Gain is set to maximum.
Should I have the 48 V on ? Will it charge this way the XVive receiver ? The Air option is set off.
🙂
Sorry for the delayed response, I wanted to try to duplicate what is happening for you. I set my e614 up about 20cm away pointed directly at my mouth connected into my Xvive system and a Scarlett 8i6 with the gain set so as to match your Solo. I have plenty of signal (between -16 and -10 dB in OBS and using a few DAWs. Do you have an XLR cable to try the microphone connected directly to the Solo? For me, with the 8i6 set at noon I get about the same level as with the wireless. The microphone will be sensitive to plosives from blowing or coughs. A small pop filter will help with this. Phantom power from your Solo to the Xvive is will not change the receiver.
For Microsoft Teams, I use the high fidelity audio mode, manually set the microphone level (turn off auto gain), and have noise cancellation set at low.
Dude... You recommend HEADPHONES?? Not even 25 seconds in and you completely discredit yourself as any level of audio professional. lol
Headphones. You NEVER use headphones to examine audio in a studio environment!